Wire-coiling machine



Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'EDWARD TUR-GEQN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR,l OF ONE-HALF TO SAIJISBURY @c SATTERL-EE CO., OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF MINNESOTA.

WIRE-COILING MACHINE.

Application led April 20, 1923. Serial N'o. 633,478.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD TURGEoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and' State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in IVire-Coiling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in Wire-coiliug machines particularly adapted for use to wind hollow wire cables such as are commonly used in the manufacture of bed springs, etc., and more particularly relates to that part of such a machine known as the coil-forming head, through which the strands of wire are drawn for the plurpose of equally spacing and guiding suc wires in the formation and subsequent winding of the cable. lViie-coiling machines such as are commonly used at the present time require the use of a forming or central core around which the strands of wire are coiled in the winding of the cable. `This core is usually drawn through a central aperture provided in the coil-forming head during the winding process, and when the cable has been wound to a predetermined-length the core is returnedto its normal or starting position and the completed cable vcut ofi'. Machines, as above described have a mechanism for returningrthe core to the starting position each time a cable has been wound. Such a machine is shown in my United States Patent 1,382,258, issued June 21, 1921.

By the employment of the novel coil-forming head feature in this invention, the usual core and its returning mechanism may be 'dispensedA with, thus simplifying the construction of the machine and reducing to a considerable extent' the manufacturing cost.

The particular object of this invention, therefore, is to provide an improved coilforming head.

Other, objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description, and the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings, there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the 'objects of the invention, but it is to beunderstood that the invention isnot confined `to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within thescope of the claims.

In thedrawings: Figure 1 1s a longitudinal sectional View of a coil-forming head embodying my invention, showing the wires positioned therein for coiling; v u

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1, showing the means provided for securing the forming head to the frame of the machine; Figure 3 is a view showing the coil starting needle or rod removed from the head;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view ou the line -l--l of Figure 2, showing the forming head clamped in its supporting means; and y Figure 5 is va cross-sectional view on the line of Figure 2 showing the rotatably mounted wire guiding collar positioned upon its bearing. f Y In the selected embodiment of the invention here shown for purposes of disclosure, there is illustrated a coil-forming head which 'is preferably clamped or secured to a suitablesupporting member or arm 6, which. in turn is secured to theframe, not shown, of any suitable wire-coiling machine to which the forming head may be adapted.

The coil-forming head consists-preferably, of a cylindrical member 7 which is provided with a plurality of spirally drilled apertures 8, adapted to receivethe strands. of wire therethrough and thus guide and space'them during the cable winding operation.` The member 7 is lpreferably iixedly mounted upon a suitable sleeve 9, having an enlarged end portion 11. A flanged head 12, having a `reduced bearing portion 13 is also 'secured to the sleeve 9 between the cylindrical member 7 and the shoulder 14', provided at one end of the sleeve, as shown in Figure 1. Spaced apertures 15l are provided in the flanged head 12 adapted to receive the wires therethrough.' An annular collar or ring 16 is preferably loosely mounted upon the reduced end portion 13 of the flanged head 12, and functions as a means to guide the strands of wire from the apertures 15 to the spirally drilledapertures 8 in the cylindrical member?. The collar 16 is preferably of hardened steeland is of less thickness than the length ofthe reduced bearing portion 13, thereby `allowing it to freely rotate or changeits position upon the bearing portion 13 as the wires are drawn thereover in passing through the forming head during the cable winding or forming operation.

head, as herei-nbefore described.

A coill starting pi-n or rod 17 having a. suitable point 18 formed at one end thereof, as shown in Figure 3, is rotatably and removably mounted in the sleeve 9. Referring to Figure` 1,` and the dotted lineshowingin Figure 3, it will be noted that the end of the sleeve 9 through which the pin point 18 projects, is preferably tapered to substantially the same angle as tha-t of the pin point 18, and that its outer conoidal surface merges with the pinpoint, thereby providinga continuous point from the tip of the point 18 to the end of the cylindricalv member 7 adjacent the apertures v8. The enlarged projecting point thus formed provides a suitable form or core upon which the strands of wire are wound during the process of' forming and winding the hollow cable, as shown at 19. The poi-nt 18 of the p-in and` also the' conoidal end of the sleeve 9-are preferably hardened for the purpose of presenting a better wearing surface and also to prevent vthe wires from cutting grooves therein.

.As `is shown in Figures 1 and 2, a collar r21 is suitably secured to the pin 17, preferably by means of' a set screw 22. An antifriction thrust bearing 23 ofV crdina'ryconstruction is preferably positioned upon the pinbetween the enlarged end portion .11* of the sleeve andthe inner face of the collarf21, thus allowing the pin to freely rotate within the sleeve 9 as a result of the frictional contact betweenvthe point 18 of the pin and the wires being coiledl and formed thereon.

This frictional contact of the wires wears theV point 18 quite rapidly, but whenever necessary, the pin can Vbe-easily and quickly removed from the head, and; ifl the point is worn olf or d'ull'ed, it canbe ground down to the desired size. It is not necessary, however, to remove the pi-n very frequently as its rotation inv the sleeve through contact wit-h the wires eliminates considerable-wear and lengthens the klife of the point. The use of-thi's removable pin makes it unneces` sary to provide a point on the end of the slee-ve which` would wear rapidly on account of the sleeve being stationary, and would necessitate the removal of the entire sleeve for re-grinding or repairing purposes.

lwean's are also provided for the purpose of preventing the pin 17 from becoming detached from the sleeve 9 when the cable is severedl after having been wound to the desired length. It maybe well to state that while the cable is being wound it is under a tensiona-l strain, caused by the tension means provided for equalizing the tension of each wire before passi-ng through the coil-forming head. Therefore, when the cable is severed while under such tension, a recoil will be effected in the unsevered portion of the cable; This recoil is suflicient to cause the pin 17 to be ejected from Vthe sleeve 9, and it is therefore preferable to provide means whereby such ejection may be prevented.

An angular arm 24 is pivotally mounted upon the supporting arm 6 by means of' a suitable pin or screw 25. The end portion 26 of' this arm is provided with an open slot 27 adapted to straddle the pin 17 adjacent the collar 21 and thus prevent the pin from being ejectedk from the sleeve, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The other end of the arm 24 is-adapted to engage a suitable stop lpin 28 secured to the supporting arm 6. The arm 24 may be raised, as indcated in Figures 1 and 4, to permit the pin 17 to be removed from the sleeve 9 for the purpose of regrinding or reshaping the point after it has become damaged from wea-r, etc. l n

To start the forming and wind-ing of the hollow cable, the wires are inserted in the coil-forming head, as indicated'y in Figures 1 and 2. They` are then drawn therethrough a suitable distance andthe ends of the wires secured to a suitable winding andv gripping means', such as shown in mypatent above referred to. As the wires are thus wound about the projecting point 1.8 ofv the pin and thetape-red end of the sleeve.V 9,' a 'perfectly formed hollow spirally 'wound cable is formed without the use of the central' core heretofore employed in the manufacturel of such cables; By the elimina-tion of' this central core` theconstruction of the machine may be greatly simplified, and the? cost of manufacture materially reduced.

I claim as myV invention: Y i

1. A coil-forming head having guides for strands and a core mounted in said head for rotation with the strands or coil thereon.

2. The combination with a coil-forming head having guides therein, of a core'- pin loosely mounted in saidV head for rotary and longitudinal movement and having a point for contact with the material beingI coiled. v '3. The combination with a Wire coil-forming head having a f series of wire guides therein, ofv a corepin mounted in said head andv havingl a tapered? point around which the wires are coiled, said pin being mounted for rotation with the coiling movement of the wires.

4L. In combination with a coil-forming head having guides for the strands, and a tapered surface for contact with such strands, of a core pin mounted in said head and having a tapered point adapted to merge into the corresponding surface ot said head.

5. In combination with a wire coil-forming head having guides for the strands of wire, and a tapered surface for contact with such strands, of a core pin mounted in said head and having a tapered point adapted to merge into the corresponding surface of said head, said pin being rotated in said head by contact of the wires with the tapered point thereof.

6. A wire coil-forming head comprising a member having spirally-formed wire guides therein and a tapered surface whereon the wires are directed by said guides, and a core pin mounted in said head and having a tapered point adapted to merge into the correspondingly tapered surface of said member.

7 A wire coil-forming head comprising a sleeve member having a tapered surface at one end whereto wires to be coiled are directed, a core pin having a tapered end mounted in said sleeve member against which tapered end the wires are held during the winding operation, said pin having a rotary movement in said sleeve member, and a thrust bearing provided between said pin and said sleeve member.

8. A wire coil-forming head having guides therein for the wire strands, a core pin having a tapered end around which the wires are coiled, said pin being removable from the coil, and means preventing the pre-mature discharge ot' said pin when the tension on the wire coil is released.

9. A wire coil-forming head having guides therein for the wire strands, a core pin having a tapered end around which the wires are coiled, said pin being removable from the coil, and means preventing the premature discharge of said pin when the tension on the Wire coil is released, said means comprising a collar on said pin and an arm having an end to straddle said pin near said collar.

l0. A wire coil-forming head having guides for wire strands and a removable core mounted in said head for longitudinal adjustment and for rotation as the Wires are coiled thereon.

ll. A coil-forming head having guides for strands and a core mounted in said head for longitudinal adjustment, and a tapered point around which the strands are coiled, said core being rotated in said head by contact of the strands with the tapered point thereof. e

l2. A coil-forming head having guides therein for strands to be coiled, a core mounted in said head around which core the strands are coiled, and a collar interposed between said head and core for contact with the strands and adapted to rotate under the rotary pull of the strands thereon.

In witness whereof, I have here-unto set my hand this 17th day of April, 1923.

EDWARD TURGEON. 

